From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A hot North African spice mix, its name meaning "top of the shop", used in soups, stews and tagines, that's considered fit for a king. An array of 20 to 50 ground spices, such as black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, paprika and turmeric, and in Tunisia, sometimes rosebuds; or in Morocco, sometimes hashish - merge into a rich, mellow blend.
